Recreational drugs and HIV treatment

Feb 9, 2004

I am starting treatment for the first time this week -- I will be taking Combivir and Nevirapine. I am a social person and once in a while will use coke, ecstasy, speed, marijuana. Not often....say, once a month on a Saturday night and not in excess... Are there interactions I should be aware of?

Response from Dr. Pierone

I am not aware of interactions with this regimen. However, there have been cases of death with ecstasy and ritonavir (Norvir) (Kaletra too) due to an interaction. Speed is not good for the immune system and seems to be associated with viral load increase and CD4 count decline. 'Not in excess' is oxymoronic with regard to coke and speed.

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.